Caladium plant named ‘White Majesty’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘White Majesty’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; large and broad lance-type leaves that are medium green in color with white and greyed green-colored centers and venation; and good landscape performance.

Botanical designation: Caladium×hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WHITE MAJESTY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a lance (strap) leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘White Majesty’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2006 in Avon Park, Fla. of a proprietary selection of Caladium×hortulanum identified as code number WS-02-18, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium×hortulanum ‘Victoria’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,087, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. on September, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by ‘chipping’ the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘White Majesty’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘White Majesty’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Large and broad lance-type leaves that are medium green in         color with white and greyed green-colored centers and venation.     -   4. Good landscape performance.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are taller and more upright than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and the female parent selection         differ in leaf shape color as plants of the female parent         selection have narrower leaves that are white and greyed white         in color with a faint pink-colored blush and green-colored         margins.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and the female parent selection         differ in leaf petiole color as plants of the female parent         selection have green-colored leaf petioles with dark         green-colored stippling and streaks.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Victoria’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are taller and more upright than         plants of ‘Victoria’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Victoria’ differ in leaf         shape and coloration as plants of ‘Victoria’ have narrower         undulate leaves that are greyed green in color and overlain with         pink with rose red-colored venation and green-colored margins.     -   3. Plants of the Caladium and ‘Victoria’ differ in leaf petiole         coloration as leaf petioles of plants of ‘Victoria’ are tan pink         in color with darker-colored stripes.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium×hortulanum ‘White Star’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differed primarily from plants of ‘White Star’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were taller than plants of ‘White         Star’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium grew slower than plants of ‘White         Star’ as plants of the new Caladium produced finished plants         about one to two weeks later than plants of ‘White Star’.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Star’ differed in leaf         shape and coloration as leaves of plants of ‘White Star’ were         narrower, more undulate and green in color with white to grey         green-colored centers, pink to light pink-colored venation and         dark green-colored margins.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Star’ differed in leaf         petiole coloration as leaf petioles of plants of ‘White Star’         were tan pink with darker-colored stippling.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium×hortulanum ‘White Wing’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differed primarily from plants of ‘White Wing’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Wing’ differed in leaf         shape and coloration as plants of ‘White Wing’ had narrower         undulate leaves that were dark green in color with creamy         white-colored centers and variably mottled margins.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Wing’ differed in leaf         petiole coloration as leaf petioles of plants of ‘White Wing’         were tan pink to green in color with darker-colored stippling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘White Majesty’ in a 15-cm container and grown in a shadehouse.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a view of typical plants of ‘White Majesty’ grown in an open field.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers and roots of ‘White Majesty’.

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent selection (left), ‘White Majesty’ (center) and the male parent, ‘Victoria’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘White Star’ (left), ‘White Majesty’ (center) and ‘White Wing’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 33° C. (shadehouse) or 29° C. to 35° C. (outdoor nursery), night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. (shadehouse) or 23° C. to 26° C. (outdoor nursery) and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles (shadehouse) or 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles (outdoor nursery). Plants grown in the shadehouse were eight weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were seven months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium×hortulanum ‘White Majesty’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Caladium×hortulanum identified as code number ‘WS-02-18’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘Victoria’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,087. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented and somewhat flattened;             individual segments ovate in shape. Height: About 3 cm.             Diameter: About 3.8 cm. Segment height: About 1.9 cm.             Segment diameter: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Texture: Thick,             starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Epidermis,             freshly-harvested: Close to N170D and 36D. Epidermis, dried:             Close to 200A to 200B. Cortical tissue: Close to 158D.             Axillary buds: Close to 36C and 27C. Root description:             Thick, fleshy contractile roots; color, close to 155C.             Rooting habit: Few lateral branches; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounding plant             habit; vigorous and dense growth habit; rapid growth rate,             potted plants in finished or saleable form in about eight             weeks after planting tubers; leaf petioles and leaves arise             from one or more growing points on tubers; petioles mostly             upright and arching outwardly with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 28 cm to 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 53 cm to 57 cm.         -   Number of clumps per plant, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About three to four from de-eyed tubers.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About             6.2 cm to 8 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Wedge-shaped to             ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Sheathing the stem. Color, outer             surface: Close to N170D tinged with close to 182D and             stippled and streaked with close to 200B tinged with close             to 147B; with development, color becoming closer to 200C and             N199B faintly stained with close to N186D. Color, inner             surface: Close to N155C; outer surface colors and patterns             visible. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; lance-type.         -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 19.3 cm to 23             cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants, flattened.—About 11.7             cm to 15.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Sagittate, peltate or obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire; with broad undulations.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery; dull             sheen.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glaucous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing leaves,             upper surface: Background color: Close to 147A tinged with             close to N189A; center, close to 155C, 190B and 191C;             margin, close to 187B. Basal notch: Close to 187A and 187B.             Venation: Close to 191C and 190B. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Background color: Close to 191A variably tinged             with close to N187A; center, close to 155C; margin, close to             187B. Basal notch: Close to 187A. Midvein: Close to 147B to             147C and 191A tinged with close to 182D. Primary venation:             Close to 191A and 147B to 147C. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Background color: Close to 147A; center, close to             137B; 147B, 155A and 191C to 191D; margin, close to 187B.             Basal notch: Close to 187A and 187B to 187C. Midvein: Close             to 156C to 156D distally tinged with close to 191D. Primary             venation: Close to 156C to 156D. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Background color: Close to 191A and 189A             variably tinged with close to N187A; center, close to 147B,             147C and 155A; margin, close to 187B. Basal notch: Close to             187A. Midvein: Close to 147B to 147C and 191A tinged with             close to 182D. Primary venation: Close to 146C.         -   Petiole.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight; with             development, leaning outwardly; flexible. Length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 26 cm to 32 cm.             Diameter, distal, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 4 mm             to 5.5 mm. Diameter, proximal, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: About 7 mm to 10 mm. Color, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: Just below the leaf and petiole junction close to             147B to 147C often tinged with close to 182D and variably             streaked or striped with close to 200A to 200B; overall,             close to 200A to 200B variably striped with close to N170D             and 182D and stippled and tessellated with close to 200A             tinged with close to 147B. Wing length, shadehouse-grown             potted plants: About 5.5 cm to 7 cm. Wing diameter,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 7 mm to 10 mm. Wing             color, shadehouse-grown potted plants, outer surface: Close             to N170D tinged with close to 182D and stippled, streaked             and marbled with close to 200A to 200B tinged with close to             147B. Wing color, shadehouse-grown potted plants, inner             surface: Close to N155C; outer surface colors and patterns             visible. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence development has not been     observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Disease & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have above average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot     and to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘White Majesty’ as illustrated and described. 